Benefits and The Open University help

Samuraix1

I'll be hoping to start my degree in September at the Open University, however, I get ESA and PIP. Pip I get low rates in both components, ESA I have I get the severe disability premium with it. I live at home for the moment with my mum, but want to get my own place to live with my partner whether being council based or private.

My course will be 120 credits per year but I have been told that seeing as I will be studying from home as it's the OU it'll be classed as part time regardless if I'll be doing the full time 3 year course and not the 6 year part time, is this true? I have read a few forums that state if it was regular Uni then I'd lose a good chunk of my ESA and won't be able to get Housing Benefit. However, as a student at the OU my ESA wont be affected nor the chance to get housing benefit.

My main concern is, my partner is at regular Uni, I'll be at the OU, she gets PIP, no ESA, gets a student loan which she'll have to pay back and the course fees paid for as she's a disabled student (has CP and thus is wheelchair bound (was told that as I get the severe disability premium she would have to come onto my ESA claim as a couple) we have been on homechoice for over 2 years and have got nowhere with that so thus the posibility of going private, but no point if my ESA will be vastly reduced.

Could someone shed some more light on this please? All we want is to get our own place as a couple and have just about enough to rent private.

huckster

Yes I believe it is correct that the OU course would be considered part time. But ask the OU to confirm this.
 See this link.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Full-time-students-and-benefits/Can-full-time-students-get-Employment-and-Support
Yes you will have to have an ESA couples claim.    The link above does say "If you receive student support in the form of a grant or a loan, this will probably reduce the amount of income-related ESA you can get."  So it depends on what support you receive as being students, as to how much the ESA payments would be affected.
What student finance, grants and loans are being received or will be applied for ?

In regard to Housing, you will probably be best to look for Social Rented Sector which is mostly Housing Associations (HA). From what I have seen the rents seem much more affordable and the HA's  offer more support services.

Samuraix1

Cheers, I'll look into that I found a couple of people on different forums that have had no reduction in there ESA, lets hope!

[Deleted User]

You say you get SDP with your ESA but live with your mum ? does she get PIP? 

poppy12345

Samuraix1 said:

Cheers, I'll look into that I found a couple of people on different forums that have had no reduction in there ESA, lets hope!

That will totally depend on what ESA they are claiming and what student loans they receive.

If your partner receives a maintenance loan then this will affect your ESA because the ESA is a means tested benefit. If part of your ESA is Contributions based then this will not be affected. PIP isn't affect because that's not means tested.

Mrs_Ryan

With regards to the OU you are 100% correct- been there done that. 

However! 

You may get someone at the DWP who is arsey with you about it. They may say if you can study you can work (particularly as you’re studying 120 credits) 

However- as you’re on ESA you may be eligible to apply for the maintenance loan (if your disability prevents you from attending a brick uni) However, if you choose not to apply for this (and I wouldn’t blame if you didn’t, it’s a decent amount of money but a blinking nightmare to apply for) you will still be eligible for a fee loan and DSA- the fee loan will not affect your benefits as it’s paid direct to the uni, and DSA pays for any extra equipment/mentors etc and is paid direct to suppliers so you don’t see any of that so that won’t affect your benefits either. 
 

you can also get the council tax reduction if that helps- and if yourself and your partner moved in together you would get 100% exemption from council tax. Your PIP would not be affected and neither would hers. Also I believe that any income based ESA would be heavily affected as they would expect her to support you with her loan. Any contributions based element would not be affected. 

I’m a current 120 credit student with OU, although now I work and my only benefit is PIP, I do get the maintenance loan as I am unable to attend a brick uni due to previous trauma suffered when I was forced to attend one.   I also did my first degree with OU (now onto my third degree- glutton for punishment I was on ESA when I did my first degree so have some experience- I did that one full time in 3 years just as I am doing with this one) 

As an aside, the disability support from OU is amazing but word of warning- they will try everything they can to persuade you not to do 120 credits!! Being firm but polite usually works. Good luck